1. Field
This disclosure is generally related to the control of multiple devices. More specifically, this disclosure is related to intelligent control of the multiple devices.
2. Related Art
Home automation, or smart homes, has enhanced quality of life of their users. More specifically, a home automation system enables centralized control of lighting, HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning), appliances, and other systems, thus providing improved convenience, comfort, energy efficiency, and security. Some automation systems provide a way to automate the control of a device based on timed or environmental factors, such as in an HVAC unit or a sprinkler system. However, these typical automation systems provide automated control for an individual type of appliance, and the different automation systems do not interface with one another to provide a complete home automation solution.
In contrast, in a smart home, all electrical devices/appliances in the house are integrated together to provide convenience and a better living experience for its users. Moreover, the ubiquitousness of the Internet connection has also made it possible for a user to monitor and/or control his home remotely. For example, while vacationing in Europe, a user may connect to a surveillance system for his home at Washington D.C. to monitor activities in his home; or the user may turn off his home sprinkler system in response to receiving a storm forecast for the Washington D.C. area.
Typical home automation technologies are often implemented using specially designed control and monitor devices that communicate with one another using a dedicated communication protocol. Because this communication protocol between devices is proprietary, home owners are having trouble to customize the system to include new or different monitor devices from other vendors. In the example of the home surveillance system, the surveillance system controller is connected to various specially designed sensors and/or cameras that are manufactured by the same vendor. Moreover, to implement the centralized control, the appliances (or at least the controllers for each appliance) also need to be manufactured by the same vendor. In the aforementioned example, the home surveillance system and the sprinkler system (or the controllers for these systems) have to be the products of the same vendor to allow the user to access both systems using a single interface. However, installing these dedicated devices or appliance controllers can be costly and wasteful as many existing homes may already be equipped with sensors and appliances that are manufactured by various different vendors.